


shadows of a lost soul

by aisu10



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemon, Daemons, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:43:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aisu10/pseuds/aisu10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avengers/HDM crossover; An angst-pile about the lost and found of Loki’s daemon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	shadows of a lost soul

When Odin finds him, holds his fragile blue form in his god-hands, a whimper sounds out from below. Odin strains his remaining eye and sifts through shadows until he makes out a tiny black ball of fur, mournful golden eyes turned upward to peer into the Asgardian ruler’s face. After staring curiously at the shivering puff of darkness, Odin chooses to ignore it and begins to walk away, cradling the baby in his arms, the new son that he would raise as his own. He hears another whimper and looks back to see that the scrawny creature is trailing him like smoke from a flame. Suddenly he realizes that this creature is an animal companion, a guardian to the child he has claimed – and in the same moment he knows in his heart that the two cannot be together. He wants his new child to have a normal Asgardian life and a Frost Giant familiar will only complicate things.

And so, he casts the creature out into the land of spirits, barring it from ever entering Asgard.

When the baby writhes and screams against him he whispers  _it’s for your own good._

—-

As Loki grows he complains to his brother of a hole in his chest, an emptiness that cannot be filled. Thor, with his golden head and strong arms and laughing voice, tells him it is just a thirst for victory and that he should fight more. Loki knows he doesn’t understand. Thor has strength and power and Mjolnir and Loki has nothing.

—-

Loki sees her in his dreams. The black fox shimmers like moonlight as she weaves in and out of his mind. She disappears like smoke in his fingertips when he tries to touch her so he contents himself with following in her fleeting footfalls, so close to her yet ever so far. She appears more and more as he advances in age, as his jealousy of Thor grows and twists within him. He sees her in the daytime, dancing in the corner of his vision, guiding him and inspiring him to hone his skill for illusion. She’s always there, even though she is not. She is his shadow, his  _Skygge_.

—-

When the truth comes out, it hurts.

But the part that hurts the most is that he knows about the Frost Giants’ familiars. The animal forms they take come from all realms and no Frost Giant is ever seen without one by its side.

No Frost Giant except for Loki Laufeyson.

He suddenly knows why he’s never felt whole.

—-

He finally finds her after the rainbow bridge collapses and he’s fallen into the endless expanse of space. He’s lost and alone in a place he’s never been, a realm of pure blackness and emptiness that reminds him of himself. And then he hears it.

Her voice.

_“Loki.”_

He turns and suddenly he’s not alone anymore. His shadow is alive and  _there_  and she’s on him in an instant, her silver-smooth fur twisting through his slender fingers and her curved claws tearing at his clothing as she desperately tries to bring herself closer to him, so close she becomes a part of him. The part he was missing all along.

 _“Skygge,”_ he gasps, collapsing into her, clutching tightly and fiercely to her dark fur as if she might disappear at any second like in his dreams. But this is not a dream, this is real, she is real, and he is finally complete.

“I’ve been looking for you, Loki. I have traveled all the realms, searching for a way into Asgard. I have longed for nothing more than to be yours, like I was always meant to be.”

“Skygge,” Loki cries, his tears sparkling in her fur like stars in the night sky, “My beautiful, beautiful shadow.

“All this time… I always knew I was missing something. Missing you.”

“We’re together now,” Skygge says softly, her golden eyes a window into Loki’s very soul, reflecting the endless pain they had both suffered while apart.

They sit together and talk and cry and their memories blur together until they truly share one mind, and for once Loki feels that there is more emptiness around him than within him.


End file.
